Summertime

Since we are at the end of summer I thought I would share with you one of my favorite pianists of all time.  George Gershwin.  Now there is a little history behind this song for my family.  For some odd reason it has kind of become a theme song.  This summer took a toll on all of my family.  With me being gone for three months and the passing of my mother, the funeral and figuring things out, this song brings back so many memories of my childhood, be it with my mom, or dad or even the wonderful employer, the YMCA.  This song also just happens to be one of my moms favorites.  So with out further ado, I give you George Gershwin's Summertime Performed by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

There Goes my life

No while this song is about a teen couple becoming pregnant in high school and watching there futures pass them by, this song made me cry today on the stand.  I was listening to the radio and the lyrics of the chorus hit my emotions out of no where.  There is a reason for that.  Those words are similar to what my dad said to my mom just as she took her final moments.  Its ironic that this song would come to me today.

This weekend was the 25th annual Italian Fest in Collinsville.  It celebrates the Italian basis that Collinsville was build on.  My family is one of the founding fathers of Collinsville.  This weekend was filled with thrills, shrills, good times and bad.  Partying, drinking and of course rekindling the lost, but not forgotten relationship with people from our pasts.  Yes Italian draws everyone back home for the good food, amazing music, and all you can handle beer...the drink of choice. 

So as you watch this video I hope that you think about the message in the words, whether its all of them or just some of them.  Think and act on them!

For those of you that are reading this and we caught up over the weekend.. Thank you for your kind words and sympathy.  It helps with the healing process.  I hope that all of you realize what an amazing, strong and heroic woman my mother is.  She is truely missed!

Keep in touch all!

Flashback

I was sitting on the guard stand this morning while Joan played one of her cd's for her aerobics classes.  And as I listened to the music that she was playing, there were several that reminded me of all of the memories that I have with my mother.

The first song is Ricky Martin-Livin la Vida Loca.  This memory is kinda funny, I can remember going to Best Buy and seeing that cd on the rack.  I begged and begged and  begged for her to buy it for me because everyone was listening to it.  It was the thing to listen to.  She did, and told me not to ask for anything else, but we would listen to it in the car on the way home!  I was so excited, I could hardly stand still.  We listened to it and rocked out all the way home!

The next song is a more recent memory.  My High School Graduation party out at woodland park.  It was rainy and muddy, but we still had a bbq with most of family and friends.  She decorated the pavilion with mine and Ryan's help of course.  purple and white streamers everywhere.  And then she surprises me with this giant balloon that said "Celebrate and Congratulations."  And when you hit it it played the song, Celebrate.  She thought it was the coolest thing, and every time someone would hit it she would stop what she was doing and rock out to it.  I can remember being so embarrassed by it, but now that I think back on it, I think she was just happy that she got to celebrate my graduation with me!

Grease.  Enough said right?  My mom and I used to sit down and watch it together.  It was our favorite movie, besides most of the classics.  She was a huge fan of Olivia Newton John, so much so that when she came to St. Louis we went to go see her live in concert.  My mom always looked up to her because of her battle with breast cancer.  I was a little girl when we went to see her.  So this next song is Greased Lightning!  My mom also thought John Travolta looked as she put it..."smokin'" in this movie!

The YMCA is of course a huge one for me.  From being in swim lessons at the Granite City Y to being in summer camp in Maryville, to a CIT and a camp counselor and recently a lifeguard and swim instructor, lets just say that the Y has been a big part of my life.  I remember listening to JC Corcoran in the mornings on the way to school or camp.  My mom is also the reason for the latchkey or what is now called SACC before and after program in Collinsville school district, so all you parents remember that when you go to put your children in that program.  My mom has been there for me through thick and thin for as long as I have been either a member or an employee of the YMCA.  I can remember listening to radio and whenever this song came on we would drop everything and dance together in the living room.  Some of the moves she would pull were quite hilarious.  Some of them are actually pictured in the music video below.

Those are the most stand outish songs.  Now of course there are more, but if I added them you would be reading and watching this post for like an hour.  So I decided that three is plenty.  I guess I could could this as a music post to since its been a while.  So there you have it my happy memories with my mother, brought on by song.  Its amazing how something so small can remind you of the good times with someone that has passed.  I hope that she is reading this as I type it and smiling down on me in Heaven.  I love you mom, and I know that If you were to really be able to read this you would love it.  So here is to some of my funny memories of you.

We Remember

Today marks the tenth year after the attacks on the WTC Twin Towers, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA.  It is a sad memory of everyone.  Where were you when all of this happened?  I was sitting in Mr. Kovarik's Geography class, 2nd Row, 8th Seat.  Seventh Grade.  I can remember every detail of that day.  I can remember crying all of those who were effected by all of this. 

It is hard to believe that it has been ten years since the attacks.  I can't believe it.  It also means that my grandmother passed away ten years ago.  No, she wasn't apart the terrorist attacks, something a little different.  But that is a story for another time. 

 This post is to get all of you to talk about what you remember what happened that dark day in our history.  Do you remember what happened, do you remember what you were doing, where you were?  Leave me a comment and share your story.  I will post them on a separate post later today!